The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-07-07
LITERARY CHAT.
ABOUT THE BANKER-POET ED
MUND CLARENCE STEDMAN.
HIS HONE-LTFE AND PERSONALAPPEAR-
ANCE.
The Methods Employed by Literary
Workers Who Have Become Fa-
mous-New Volumes in Verse and
Prose
ypeciqI Correspondencc ofMe Gold Leaf.

SDecEHL COTFeSI1OTtISHCc " tlE bOLtL LtttJ
New YORK, July !, 1857.
OF the many men familiar to those
whose business or interests bring them
within the atmosphere of bustllng
Wall street or the Change, none per
haps is more respected or better liked
than Edmund Clarence Stedman, the
poet banker. Busy at his banking of
flee during the day, and engrossed in
literary work and in fulfilling social
requirements at night. Mr.. Stedmap
leads at once an active and dual life.
A literary atmosphere pervades his
office as we'll as his charming uptown
residence, for the genial faces of New
England's famed poets, Longfellow,
Holmes, Lowell and Whittier, look
down from the four walls between
which the visitor finds Mr.. Stedman.
1t is only when closely pressed by
some important piece of literary work
at home that the poet cannot be found
at his down town desk, as buSlly en-
gagged in his banking affairs as if liter
ature was an unknown factor in his
life. During the summer months,
however, the attractions of his island
retreat in New Hampshire lure the
busy banker from his desk, and a great
portion of the heated term is there
spent. This summer home is one as
beautiful in its surroundings as might
he wished for a mind filled with poet
ical fancies. Ii is situate on Newcas-
tie Island, at the mouth of the PIsCa-
taqua River in New Hampshire, oppo-
site the ancient town of Portsmouth.
The beauty of the place is only riValed
by its wealth of historic and romantic
associations.
The poets home is a modest dwell
ing, whose shingled roofs and wide,
low porch suggest one Of those Queen
Anne cottages that cover every eligi-
ble site on our Atlantic coast. Cross
the lawn to the seaward side, and one
finds that the owner and his architect
built with some sense of the novel and
poetic in their souls. The north and
west walls are of stone, the north wall
carried up into a tower, with mar
veIously wide sea outlook. The walls
are built of stOne-trap, lava and
small smooth boulders-gathered on
the neighboring beaches and arranged
in courses with an eye to artistic effect.
The tower is built of the same mate
rial. There is a loggia at its base,
like those in old Venetian villas, look
ing seaward out toward Appledore,
Applegatc, and their sister isles. From
porch a door opens directly into 2
wide hall, large enough for q summer
parlor, and indeed used as such.
There is a large fireplace on the left,
with ancient andirons. The furniture
is old and quaint, reft by Mrs. Sted-
man from the ancient homes of Ports
mouth and other places. On summer
evenings when the sea wind blows cool
a fire of driftwood is lighted on the
hearth. Part of mast or spar, torn
from its socket perhaps in some hur-
riCane of the Antilles, does duty as a
! back log, and burns with lambent,
blush fame. On this heaped fagots
catch the flame, and set the shadows
to dancing merrily over the polished
| floor and in and out amid the fur
nishings. Then about the fire gathers
a notable company. There is always
visitor at the cottage-authOr, poet,
artist, savant or travelled man from
foreign lands.
The poets study is a small upper
chamber in the tower, with deep, case
mated windows looking every way but
to landward
The view from the west window
takes in the Craggy, winding south
shore, the vista being closed by the
ruinous Mar.ello tower on Jourdan':
Rocks, and the deserted walls of Fort
| Constitution.
Some of the best work of the poet ir
recent years has been done in this lit
tie room alone with sea and sky. lr
New York his literary work is done
after 9 clock at night. Here he de,
votes his mornings to it. The after
noon is reserved for social pleasures
boating and fishing, rides into the
storled lands about him, strolls through
the romantic lanes and along the
sounding beaches of the island. Ief
frey Point is his favorite haunt. 1t:
Jagged front receives the full brunt O
the Atlantic. On one side is prett,
beach Of shingle and pebble; island
bayberry, sweet fern and juniper cover
the site of the first Notifications thrown
up by Captain Walter NeaIe for the
defense OF the infant colony. The sur
here is ever fiDe-best if there has beer
a storm far out at sea to send the grea
SrrtreS rolling in slowly and will